A blog on Singapore defence and the SAF that goes Above & Beyond The Obvious -The views expressed on this blog are my personal views and/or opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinion of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD). Follow us on Twitter @SenangDiri

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Fifty years ago today, Singapore became an
independent state. As a 12-year-old, I was aware of the significance of
Malaysia gaining a new neighbour and of our two countries settling our
boundaries – both to continue independently on the adventure of independence,
with all the opportunities and perils that developing nations faced in the
1960s.

Of course, we had a special interest in
Singapore; history and geography bound us together. We have a Malay proverb for
it: Sedangkan lidah lagi tergigit, or We are like tongue and teeth.

In other words, we were destined to be
conjoined and need to cooperate, not compete.

Over the decades, we observed Singapore’s
progress. And we too mourned the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in March February (Edited: Source error). His
vision underpinned Singapore’s advances, and he was admired by friends and
critics alike. South-east Asia lost a statesman when he died. His presence is
missed during landmark celebrations, but his legacy is secure – it is the
Singapore of today.

Malaysia and Singapore have had differences,
but we have always achieved the most when we have worked pragmatically together
– and we have much to be proud of.

In 1967, we were among the five founders of
Asean, an organisation that has kept peace in the most ethnically and
religiously diverse region on earth. We came together in the Five Power Defence
Arrangement in 1971; we cooperated closely at the UN in the 1980s to ensure a
settled future in Indochina; and today we are linked in so many ways.

Take trade cooperation, for instance. We are
each other’s second largest trading partner after China. In 2014, Singapore was
Malaysia’s second largest trading partner globally and the largest trading
partner in Asean.

Singapore was also the second largest source of foreign
investment in Malaysia in 2014, and I am pleased that

while Iskandar Malaysia
and Penang have been the main focus of investment from Singapore, Singaporeans
are now also beginning to look further afield, including Sabah and Sarawak.

In terms of tourism, the total number of
visits to Malaysia from Singapore in 2014 was 13.9 million – an increase of 5.7
per cent from 2013. But we want even more of you to visit us, and this year,
Tourism Malaysia is hoping we can attract 14.5 million guests from Singapore.

The changed approach between our two countries
was emphasised soon after I became Prime Minister. The win-win solution of the
Points of Agreement in 2010 – after a 20 year deadlock – was an example of how
we chose to move forward in a spirit of mutual benefit, and put a longstanding
stumbling block behind us.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and I agreed
that our countries should not be encumbered by any issues associated with the
past. The days when some considered agreement to be a form of weakness are
gone. Our future is as partners. Indeed, recently there have even been
suggestions that our two countries should formulate an Olympic bid together.

On a personal note, the new relationship
between Malaysia and Singapore was underlined soon after I became Prime
Minister. On a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in May 2009, I was
honoured to be told that a hybrid of the Dendrobium Ronald Imanuel and
Dendrobium Jeffrey Tan orchids had been named the Dendrobium Najib Rosmah. The
hybrid orchid is a symbol of the relationship between Malaysia and Singapore.
It needs to be nurtured carefully- for then it will flourish.

I am pleased with the results of our closer
relations, and look forward to achieving more. The construction of the High
Speed Rail linking Kuala Lumpur and Singapore will certainly transform the way
Malaysians and Singaporeans interact with each other, facilitating travel
between both capital cities, enhancing business linkages and improving
people-to-people ties.

At this time of opportunity between our
nations, I urge Singaporeans not to judge Malaysia by what you may read on
social media, or by politically motivated statements from certain quarters
running down our country.

I will ensure that Malaysia remains stable and
safe – for guests and Malaysians alike.

The reality is that we share your aspirations
for good governance; for a strong, inclusive and sustainable economy based on
sound fundamentals; and for stability, harmony and diversity.

That is why we make good partners, and why
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and I will continue to work closely to bring
real benefits to all Malaysians and Singaporeans.

Fifty years ago, ties between our two nations
were strained. Today, relations have never been better and the results speak
for themselves. Happy 50th birthday, Singapore – Malaysia looks forward to
toasting many future anniversaries with you.

Monday, August 10, 2015

If you believe the defence of Malaysia and Singapore is indivisible, then any threat to the Federation's security and stability - whether from external aggression or internal strife - could have a follow-on effect on Singapore too.

Among the worst-case scenarios that have surfaced recently among defence watchers is the question of how severely Singapore would be affected if social unrest up north prompts Malaysian authorities to declare a curfew.

Note that it is a foregone conclusion that Singapore will be affected should a Malaysian curfew restrict the movement of people and commerce between Malaysia and Singapore. Open to debate though is the severity of such a measure on Singapore's economy, our security posture and investor confidence.

At the most basic level, companies and businesses that rely on Malaysian workers better have a Plan B if a curfew affects the ability of their staff to turn up for work. Alas, many will not have ready answers because business continuity planning is not a strong suite among Singaporean companies, particularly the SMEs.

Anyone who has seen the predawn traffic situation at the Causeway and Second Link on a weekday would appreciate the part Malaysians serve in keeping Singapore's economy humming. Blue collar or white collar, daily-rated or salaried staff, executive or non-executive, they come across the Johor Strait in their thousands and can be found in all corners of the Lion City.

Many leave their homes in the wee hours of the morning. A 4am departure being typical in order to beat the rush at the customs, immigration and quarantine checkpoints on both sides of the border. The Malaysians then have to endure the morning rush hour traffic on Singapore island. By the time their bum hits the chair at their workplace, each would have been on the road for at least two to three hours.

For Malaysians who have to clock in every work day, their amazing race from home to workplace carries a financial penalty if their journey is disrupted. Rain, traffic jams due to accidents or road works, or the arse luck of picking a slow lane at the CIQ could cost them dearly.

After work, the tide turns the other way. The journey home could see Malaysians step past their front door around 10pm or later. And they ration their evening hours sparingly knowing the cycle will repeat itself the next work day.

And yet many Malaysians persevere. Their stoic nature is typically Malaysian and you wouldn't know from external appearances of the extraordinarily long commute they have to endure just to earn a living.

The commute is worth is. Thanks to the exchange rate that makes a job in Singapore pay several times more what a Malaysian could earn doing the same thing up north as well as lower home prices in Johor, many choose to stay on homeground knowing full well this entails many hours on the road and an abbreviated sleep cycle.

Malaysians who commute to Singapore to work are a key element of Singapore's economy.

Companies and businesses with a sizeable number of Malaysians on their payroll ought to assess how many of their foreign workers are resident in Singapore and how many make the daily commute. The demographic is crucial. It could spell the difference between business operations that hum along with minimal impact if a curfew is imposed in Malaysia or the loss of a sizeable chunk of labour that could unhinge daily operations.

For entities that provide essential services such as transport, the robustness of the assessment is crucial as it would flag out vulnerabilities that must be addressed to ensure the provision of such services is not compromised.

Recent events in the Federation have prompted defence watchers to theorise how the situation could unfold should things spiral out of control. For analysts hardwired by training to think the worst, the scenarios they have come up with are sobering to consider.

One hopes the theorising remains just an academic exercise because the impact of social unrest in the Federation will have deleterious effects on many aspects of life in the Lion City.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Jubilee flight:No prizes for guessing how many years Singapore has been independent. Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16s practice their Salute to the Nation during the National Education 3 show on 25 July 2015.

Among the aerial tributes at the upcoming National Day Parade 2015, the Five-O formation by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is probably the most sought-after by photo buffs.

The crowd-pleaser by the RSAF's F-16 community is a difficult manoeuvre to perform because the flight of 20 aircraft have to fly at precise intervals to form each numeral. What's more, both numbers must follow one another properly in order for the typography to look neat from the ground - and the Five-O must arrive at show centre at the precise moment and clear the airspace over the Padang along the proper heading without delay before the six F-16s from the Black Knights aerobatic display team perform their fan break manoeuvre.

Difficult enough to execute in clear weather, the presence of low clouds, the glare from the setting sun and unpredictable winds demand a high level of concentration and flying skills from the F-16 pilots.

The twenty-ship formation forms up over the approaches to the Singapore Strait and holds formation while inbound for Singapore's city centre. During the flight towards the Padang, an additional F-16 tails the fighter formation (perhaps giving cues to tighten the formation's dressing) before peeling off and flying eastward.

What appears to be a neat "50" when seen from the ground is less apparent from the air. Look at the pilot's eye view below.

Kudos to the RSAF engineers and ground crew for maintaining a high level of serviceability. Their effort and dedication is a key enabler for such formations.

And now a word from the RSAF Helicopter community: To fly is heavenly. To hover, divine.

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About Me

Former Defence Correspondent at The Straits Times, a Singaporean English language broadsheet newspaper. ACCORD member. Working on a writing project before moving to staff comms.
KEMENTAH is short for Kementerian Pertahanan, the Malay term for Ministry of Defence. Senang Diri is a Malay footdrill command which means "stand at ease".
This blog is about defence information management, especially defence media relations and strategic media relations. It examines Singapore defence and security matters and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), which I'm very passionate about. I developed a life-long interest in the SAF the moment I attended my first SAF Display at Changi as a kid in the 1970s.
Thankfully, I've made more friends than enemies while researching the SAF. : )
Please visit my Youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ChineseJunk1.
MA in Security Studies, University of Hull (1996) under Prof Colin Gray, Dr Tim Huxley and Dr Eric Grove. US State Dept National Security & Counter Terrorism Program (2004)
Reported on:
* Flying Eagle: Taiwan 9/21 quake relief
* Blue Heron I: Timor Leste
* Blue Orchid I: Persian Gulf
* Flying Eagle: Meulaboh, Indonesia